Petty tactics dominate Ontario election campaign so far

The Ontario election campaign has been more about scare tactics and petty attacks than debate on public policy - and it's just begun.

The unofficial campaign kicked-off in earnest in February when the Liberals introduced a television commercial portraying Hudak as a Bay Street lackey.

The 30-second spot, which debuted during the Oscars, featured an actor playing Hudak, shown only from the back, seated before three sinister-looking businessmen who give him orders in an oak-panelled boardroom.

Pollster Nik Nanos called the ads a "character assassination."

The Tories retaliated, introducing their own attack ad, which first aired during the Stanley Cup finals and dubbed Premier Dalton McGuinty as the "Tax Man".

Now, with the latest polls showing the Conservatives and Liberals in a tight two-way race, the campaign seems to be getting even nastier.

Over the past two weeks, the Liberals have made a concerted effort to tie the Hudak Tories to far-right U.S. Tea Party movement.

"Tim Hudak's campaign is importing their campaign strategy from the right-wing extremist Tea Party movement, bringing in strategist Michael Prell," noted a recent Liberal party press release about the hiring of a former Tea Party adviser.

"The extreme right-wing Tea Party movement in the U.S. is routinely exposed for lying, being incoherent, vacuous and deeply divisive."

On Tuesday, the petty political shenanigans continued as the Tories posted a YouTube video claiming it shows "a large and intimidating Liberal staffer" being rough with their candidate at Monday's Liberal platform launch.

The Liberals also released their own video Tuesday showing NDP Leader Andrea Horwath's orange SUV driving too close to cyclists, despite the party's promise to bring in a one-metre rule to keep cars away from bikes.

One can only imagine what the parties have up their sleeves for the official campaign which began today.

(CP Photo)